Karl Lagerfeld has been drawing sketches of...
Karl Lagerfeld has been drawing sketches of more than his latest fashion designs. The Paris designer just published a book of drawings with his friend, Anna Piaggi. (She used to be a fashion editor for Italian Vogue and still has a way of mixing old and new clothes.) “Lagerfeld’s Sketchbook,” published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, should give vintage clothes buffs new ideas. In its pages, Piaggi poses in a knee-tickling chiffon dress from the ‘20s with a new chiffon peignoir from Lagerfeld’s lingerie collections. There’s an illustrated lesson in how to wear a French pharmacist’s coat as party dress, and how to pretend a glove carrier is a handbag. And that ain’t the half of it.
‘Jane Seymour’s Guide to Romantic Living” (Atheneum: $19.95) isn’t the usual celebrity exercise guide. It’s about candles at dinner; flowers for no reason. “The moments you remember the most in life are the romantic moments,” Seymour told Listen in a recent phone call. “You can do it for yourself, and you can do it for kids. The side benefit is that you’ll probably attract the kind of man you’d like to attract.” The English-born actress said she simply grew up with her romantic approach--which she does not pretend will solve everything in life. As she noted: “I’ve been married three times, so it doesn’t mean you necessarily end up happily married the rest of your life.” Seymour will sign copies of her book at the California Pizza Kitchen in Beverly Center, Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Retinitis Pigmentosa Foundation Fighting Blindness, of which she is national chairperson.
Paloma Picasso is making her cinematic debut--actually, a piece of Paloma Picasso jewelry is making its debut in 20th Century Fox’s early-1987 release, “Black Widow,” a mystery thriller with Debra Winger and Theresa Russell. Picasso’s creation: an 18-karat white gold black-widow-spider pin encrusted with 27 diamonds and featuring a spinel gemstone and cabochon black onyx belly. (Winger presents the pin to Russell for symbolic reasons that will only make sense once you see the movie.) Picasso herself was present at a party for the pin’s unveiling Monday night at Fox; the pin is now available at Tiffany & Co. for $4,800.
Umberto Savone of the Umberto hair salon in Beverly Hills tells Listen three good reasons why he’s added his name to the growing list of beauty salons now open on Mondays--traditionally the dark day in his business. The first is Billy Crystal, who came into the salon one recent Monday for an 8 a.m. haircut before he caught a plane for Rome to promote “Running Scared.” Then there was Prince, who dropped by the same day for a trim and style, and then Janet Jackson, who was starting a four-day video shoot. Unlike the rest of us, you see, entertainers “need to look good on Mondays to start their week,” Savone says, adding that many stars also return home on Mondays after a working weekend and like to have their hair done then.
The current holiday catalogue from Royal Silk is rather unusual. It’s the first time the catalogue (with a mailing list of 2.7 million customers) is plugging a movie--James Clavell’s “Tai-Pan” (which opens today). The cover shows its star, Chinese actress Joan Chen, posing pensively in a jade satin kimono. Scenes from the movie are scattered throughout the first few pages, and Royal Silk is also offering its customers the opportunity to compete for a weeklong trip to the Far East. What’s the connection? The movie’s action takes place in Hong Kong and Macau, and Royal Silk’s silks come from the same part of the world. Company spokesman Gerry Pike also points out that the movie “is filled with silk period costumes.” The kimono, by the way, has its own built-in sash and sells for $58.
You may have heard his name bandied about at the White House, even read about him in “Doonesbury,” and now you can associate with him in person. The man is Julius Bengtsson, otherwise known as the official hairdresser to Nancy Reagan. He will hold court at Hugh York & Associates on Sunset Boulevard on a once-per-month basis, starting Thursday. But due to his super-charged schedule, Listen is told, he will do only six heads of hair per visit. Those rushing to join the queue might feel all the more excited knowing they will join a long line of celebrity clients that includes Ann-Margret, Ursula Andress, Christina Ford, Audrey Hepburn, Bianca Jagger, Hope Lange, Catherine Oxenberg and Jill St. John.
The twosome shopping for antique clothes turned out to be Timothy Hutton and his wife, Debra Winger. Listen hears from Ellen Johnson of Ellen’s in Santa Monica that the celebrity shoppers stopped in her store looking for party clothes. “Debra tried on a powder-blue beaded chiffon dress and an off-white lace coat,” Johnson recalls. It turns out they discovered Ellen’s while shopping in another of Santa Monica’s antique clothes shops. Johnson says her friend, Susan Lieberman of the Paris 1900 boutique, told Hutton and Winger about Ellen’s.
If you like to pedal for fun you might like to pedal for profit this Sunday at the ninth annual Turkey Climb. Swatch Watch, U.S.A., the official sponsor of the event is offering more than $3,000 in cash and prizes plus promising “special surprises.” The one-mile climb begins at 9 a.m. at Mountaingate Drive and Sepulveda Boulevard in the Brentwood/Bel-Air area of West Los Angeles. More than 300 cyclists, who will depart at 15-second intervals, are expected to compete in the wheel games. Among them will be rookies and professionals, such as U.S. National Team members David Lettieri and Michele Veasey. More information for turkeys and non-turkeys alike available from (213) 650-0060.
